Police said the car was last driven by Remi Gross-Santos, who is set to go on trial in April on charges related to the accident last June. Police said Gross-Santos was on his way to graduation rehearsal when he hit two pedestrians, seriously injuring them.

The vehicle was being stored as evidence in the case at the Hampton Police Department. Chief Richard Sawyer said that snow piled up so high this winter that the bucket loader operator wasn't able to see where the car was parked.

The car now has significant damage to the hood, windshield and left bumper.

"As you can see, the damage on the vehicle is pretty indicative of a bucket loader of some kind hit it and scraped the tops of the hood up," Sawyer said.

The chief said he immediately contacted the prosecutor and the defense attorney in the case after the damage occurred.

"It really doesn't mean a whole lot in terms of the strength of this case," Rockingham County Attorney Patricia Conway said. "The vehicle was documented in a number of ways, mainly through photograph evidence, detailed photographs of the damage to the vehicle."

Conway said evidence such as the car is saved as a precaution.

"We generally keep a motor vehicle in an abundance of caution in the event that a defense attorney wants to go and look at the vehicle or have an investigator take their own pictures of the vehicle," she said.

Gross-Santos' attorney declined an interview.

Sawyer said he has spoken to all parties involved, including the defendant and his family. He said the police will keep custody of the vehicle until the case is complete.

Sawyer said he is looking into other precautions the department can take when storing evidence so something like this doesn't happen again.